London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Dagenham 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Dagenham]
This page requires JavaScript
55
to the Committee and is used to assist in providing foods among
other things for those in need.
The following table shows the work done at the infant welfare
centres during the year:—
Total attendances at all centres during the year:—
| (1) By children under 1 year of age | 14,080 |
| (2) By children between the ages of 1 and 5 | 11,449 |
| Average attendances of children per session at all centres during the year | 50 |
| Total number of children who attended at the centres for the first time during the year:— (1) Children under 1 year of age | 1,343 |
| (2) Children between the ages of 1 and 5 years | 678 |
| Percentage of total notified births represented by the number of children under 1 year who attended for the first time | 73.5% |
Treatment.
Adenoids and Enlarged Tonsils.
The same arrangements continue in operation for the treatment
of these conditions, namely, agreements with the following
hospitals:—King George Hospital, Ilford; Queen Mary's
Hospital, Stratford; St. Mary's Hospital, Plaistow; and Oldchurch
Hospital. Most cases, however, are treated at King George
Hospital, the majority being detained overnight. During the year
a total of 14 cases was treated at a cost of £11 4s. od.
In my opinion it is highly desirable that all cases should be
detained in hospital for one night at least. This operation, often
considered as a trivial one, in many cases gives rise to shock which
is sometimes deferred. I therefore consider that a period of
complete rest under nursing supervision is necessary. The
question of the removal of enlarged tonsils and adenoids has recently
wen the subject of much controversy, it is now considered by those
closely associated with the diseases of children, that enlarged
tonsils per se do not require surgical interference. At certain
Periods of growth, especially before the onset of puberty, there is
a natural enlargement and increase of certain groups of lymphoid
tissue; after puberty has been established, in many cases a natural
recession of this tissue occurs. It may be taken to be a fairly
safe guide that tonsils and adenoids should be treated by conservative
methods unless they give rise to secondary conditions such as
enlarged cervical glands, otorrhoea or other evidence that they
are septic foci.